Locals among those listed on state held property list

March 29, 2012

From staff and press reports

A woman in South Carolina, who lived in Mississippi in the 1980’s finds out she has $52,000 worth of Apple stock. An Alabama woman with a special needs child, whose husband is out of work, receives a check for $50,000. A Vicksburg family is able to send their high school senior to college this fall after they receive a $112,000 check. Those are just some of the stories from the Mississippi State Treasurer’s Unclaimed Property Division. You may have a story too. One out of four people in Mississippi has money on the Unclaimed Property list at the State Treasurer’s office. Treasurer Lynn Fitch says thousands of people phoned in to a special Call Center last week allowing another $1.6 million dollars to go back to taxpayers. That amount is in addition to the more than 3 million dollars Fitch identified and returned her first 45 days in office. Approximately one in five people in the state has unclaimed assets from forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, security deposits, utility refunds, estates, escrow accounts, even lost refunds. Many of the office’s claims are for $100, $200, or $300 said Fitch. “But there are the really big ones too.” The two largest claims returned were for $278,279.00 and $190,000.00. Both families asked not to be identified. “It’s everybody’s fantasy isn’t it?” Fitch laughed. “One day you get a call that changes your life forever: a rich relative you’ve never heard of has left you all their money. Well, for a few people it is reality.” Even Treasurer Fitch was in for a surprise when an anonymous contributor handed back the $18,500 he had received from Unclaimed Property. He told her to use it to help fund the Financial Literacy program she is starting for Mississippi School children. “I was overwhelmed by his generosity.” Fitch continued, “Unfortunately so many parents are struggling financially themselves. So they don’t know how to teach their kids about money because they don’t know either. Think what a positive impact financial literacy will have on our school children and ultimately our workforce. It will help attract businesses to our state.” Banks and other businesses are required to turn unclaimed money over to the Treasurer for safekeeping. The Unclaimed Property Law requires “holders” such as corporations, business associations, financial institutions, and insurance companies to annually report and deliver property to the State Treasurer’s office after there has been no customer contact for five years. Often the owner forgets that the account exists, or moves and does not leave a forwarding address or the forwarding order expires. In some cases, the owner dies and the heirs have no knowledge of the property. There are two ways to see if your name is on the list. Go to www.treasury.ms.gov/unclaimed or call the Treasurer’s office at 601.359.3534. We want to know your unclaimed property story. A brief search of the site produced several local results. The quick search included: TYALOR SUDDEN SERVICE CARTHAGE MS Over $100; DREW E SNOW 215 MAIN ST LOUISVILLE; JOHNNY R SNOW 215 MAIN ST LOUISVILLE MS Under $100; MATTHEW WILKES SNOW 215 W MAIN ST LOUISVILLE MS Under $100; CHARANCE I WRIGHT 2161 ELIGAH GRAHAM RD NOXAPATER MS Over $100; CHAZ S WRIGHT 2161 ELIGAH GRAHAM RD NOXAPATER MS Over $100; RED HILLS CRAPPIE CLUB C/O SAMMY HILL 125 BOND RD LOUISVILLE MS 39339 Over $100; RED HILLS FINANCE INC 106 S CHURCH ST LOUISVILLE MS Over $100; ANIMAL HOSPITAL LOUISVILLE 769 METTS STREET LOUISVILLE MS 39339 Over $100; CECILLA LOUISVILLE 5515 GAULT ST JACKSON MS 39209 Under $100; EXCHANGE CLUB LOUISVILLE MS Under $100;HIGH SCHOOL CL LOUISVILLE Under $100 INVESTORS LOUISVILLE P O BOX 271 LOUISVILLE MS 39339 Over $100;LOUISVILLE EYE CARE 500 N CHURCH AVE LOUISVILLE MS Under $100; NOXAPATER TELEPHONE CO INC MS P O BOX 326 LAUREL MS Under $100;NEEDHAM HANNA RR 3 LOUISVILLE MS 39339 Over $100; AMONDOLYN RASHE HANNAH 206 HIGH AVE LOUISVILLE MS 39339 Over $100;CHARLES M WELLS PO BOX 665 LOUISVILLE MS 39339 Under $100; SKELTON INSURANCE AG ENCY INC 121 NORTH COURT STREET LOUISVILLE MS; and there are many more…

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